Index tab for guide cards



D.E.HUNTER INDEX TAB FOR GUIDE CARDS Filed Jan. 19, 1923 7600 (0; Iam'dZ/[umiey Patented Jan. 27, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENTNOFFICE.

DAVID E. HUNTER, OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE SHAW-WALKER 00., 0F MUSKEGO'N, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

INDEX TAB FOR GUIDE CARDS.

Application filed January s, 192a.' Serial No. 618,605.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DAVID E. HUNTER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Muskegon, in the county of Muskegon and State of Michigan, have: invented certain new and useful Improvements in Index Tabs for Guide Cards, of whichthe following is a specification,

This invention relates to improvements in index tabs for guide cards, employed in vertical filing systems, and the object of the invention is to provide a tab made of sheet metal and formed in such a way as to have ample stiffness without reinforcement,

and havlng its margins treated in such a' manner as to eliminate sharp corners and edges, and thus avoid the possibility of the operators cutting their fingers in manipulating the cards.

The tab embodying the invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. .1. is a View in front elevation of. a guide card with tab applied thereto, and

" index slip partially inserted.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the tab removed, shown in perspective, and Fig. 3 is a View in vertical section, taken on line 3, 3 of Fig. 2.

In Fig. 1 a guide card A is shown, such as is commonly used in vertical filing systems, and consists of a sheet of relatively stiff cardboard, having a metal tab B riveted to its upper edge, and an eyelet tab at at its lower edge. A portion of the tab B projects above the margin of the card and forms a slot into which is inserted an index slip C, which is visible through an opening in the front wall of the tab.

Referring now to the construction of the tab, the same is preferably stamped'from a sheet of thin metal in the form of a blank and then bent into its final form, consisting of front and rear walls 1 and 2 of substantially the same size and shape, connected together at the top edge 3, which is the line of folding of the blank. Each wall portion is shaped somewhat after an arrow-head, with its pointed end extending downwardly and away from the folded edge 3. The lower portions of the walls 1 and 2 are triangular in shape and form the two complementary card engaging sections 1 and 2 which straddle the upper marginal edge of the card symmetrically, and are fixed thereto by eyelets which are riveted through registering holes 4 unched in the walls at the three corners o the triangle, the upper eyelets being inserted justbelow the top edge of the card A.

The projecting portion of the tab consists of the doubled over or folded front and rear walls lying between the top or folded edge 3 and the line of the upper eyelets, the general shape being that of a truncated triangle, that is, with the end edges converg ing or inclined inwardly at an angle of, say, sixty degrees tothe vertical. Along the inclined side edge 5, 5, of the front wall 1, the metal is extended beyond the corresponding edges of therear wall and the marginal portions doubled back against the rear face thereof, forming, beads 6, 6 throughout the length thereof. The corners of the tab are rounded and formed by carrying the beads 6, 6 inwardly from the ends, the material being cut back throughout the corner portions. It is to be observed that the top edge 3 is crimped or folded double along its margin, thus forming a rounded bead along said edge which merges with the rounded corner beads 65, ,6. Immediately below the beaded top edge 3 the material is bent outwardly andv then downwardly along the line 7. Thus the rear 'wall is spaced from the front wall in parallel relation thereto and forms the pocket or slot in which the insert slip Cl'is retained. The corresponding inclined side edges 8, 8 of the back wall 2 are spaced or cut back a short distance inwardl from the beaded edges 5, 5 of the front wall: and since they are not exposed to contact with the fingers, the beaded edge is omitted.

In the front wall 1 of the projecting portion of the tab is an elongated rectangular sight opening 9 for the index designations appearlng on the index slip O, which is insertable endwise from either side of the tab in the manner shown in Fig. 1. The upper edge of the card A provides the lower edge of the slip receiving slot.

In the rear wall 2 immediately behind the sight opening 9 is a smaller opening 10, where y access may be had to the back: of the slip C for facilitating the removal or insertion thereof. Just below the smaller opening 10 is a narrow slot 11 to be resorted to in the process of mounting the tabs upon the cards as a guide to positioning the same therein symmetrically with edge of the guide strip or tongue 12 which is offset or sprung inwardly, thus acting as a tension grip to engage the insert slip and to hold it in p ace The advantage of a tab of this character resides in the protection to the file operators from 'shar corners and edges, which frequently resu t 'in cut fingers, especially when filing is' bein done speedily and the guide cards fingered in rapid succession.

A further advantage lies in the de ree of stifinessafiorded by the doublewa construction which eliminates the necessity of" a tab formed at the edge of the card itself, andservin' as the foundation of the metal tab.' In this way guidecards of a uniform size and contour may be used throughout a single file, it being only necessary to position the metal tab at difi'erent points along the top ed e in order to secure the various insetsfor dividing and subdividing the file.

Manifestl a suitable material other than metal may be employed and the tab otherwise modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim' p 1. A tab adapted 'for attachment to a uide card comprising double wall portions ormin'g a pocket therebetween and provided with'a beaded top edge and inclined.end

edges meeting sa d top edge in rounded" corners, one of the edgesat each end being spaced back from the other and having its marginal portion bent double to form a bead extending throughout saidrounded corners. a

2. A tab comprising double wall portions if the edge of the card ada ted to pro'ect beyond the edge of a guide card an to form therebetween a longitudinal open-ended pocket to receive an index sli the front wall of said projecting portion having a sight opening therein and-the rear wall a smaller 0 ning together with a narrow guide slot a apted to register with the ed of the guide card, and separated from said smaller opening by a narrow strip of metal bent inward- 1y to provide a tension grip for said index s ip.

3. The combination with a ide card, of a metal tab comprising doub e wall portions folded along the top ed 0, the lower portions of said walls straddling the edge of the card and fastened thereto with the upper portions projecting beyond the edge 0 said card to form an index slip retaining slot therebetween, the ends of said rojec-ting portions having conver nt ges meeting the folded ed e in roun ed corners, one edge bei space outwardly from the other and hav its marginal portion bent double to form a bead.

4. The combination with a guide card, of a metal'tab com risin complementary front and rear wal s fol ed double along the top ed and adapted to straddle the edge of sai card throughout the lower portions thereof with the upper portions projecting beyond the card edge, said upper portion having the exposed side edges inclined inwardly toward and meeting the top edge in rounded corners the said side of the front wall being bent double to form a bead throughout the exposed portions thereof, and the correspondi edges of the raar wall portion cut back from said beaded e es.

' in witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 15th day of December, A. D.,

- DAVID E. HUNTER. 

